Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-03-01

There was no one on the pier at the time,
anu oeiore the Waterman reached the
alarm oox The cotton WAS blazing furious
ly and dense clouds of smoke were blown
into the sheds. BY the time the fremen
arrived the pier was abiaze. On the north
side OF the pier was the steamer Lone
Star, which collided with the steamer
Wells City few weeks ago, and on the
south side was the steamer City of New
York. Between the Stoningtcn pier on
the south side and the Guion line pier on
the north side, there were moored
eight lighters loaded with cotton.
The wind was blowing furious gale in
northeasterly direction, and as the cot
ton on the pier caught fire the smoke
filled the street so that it was almost i'm.
possible to see any distance. The blaze
was beating down on the steamer Lone
Star and 1t was only few minutes before
she was atire. The fire patrol bostmen
made several attempts to get
the steamer out from the fire.
1t was low tide and she was grounded.
Three Of the Pennsylvania Railroad Com
paDy's tugs helped the patrol, and ut las.
the Lone Star was towed out into the
river, snd streams of water were played
on her. She was towed over to Gu,ter-
berg's shore and left in charge of two
tugs. She is slmost totally DESTROYED.
She was built about twelve years
ago and cost 1925, 600. She has depreci-
ated in value since that time, and the
loss on her will probably be about $780,
600, on which there is no insurance
After the Lone Star was got out of the
way attention was turned to the steamer
City OF New York, and she was towed into
mid-stream without being injured. This
was O'Clock, and Caief NcGill and
twelve of mis- men had managed to reach
the eud Of the pier. They were trying to
work their way to the lighter Lorena,
when one Of their number happened to
glance behind him, and in an excited
manne- he exclaimed:
"Good God, boys, we are hemmed in"
The Chief looked in the direction of the
street and saw that the whole front Of the
pier was ableZe and that their means OF
escape was cut off. The men rushed to
the side of the pier and got out on
string pier. Every minute the fire from
both ends ives fast sweeping towards
them. The smoke was SO suffocating that
it was difficult to breathe. Their
only hope of escape was to Jump into
he water through the gulf of fire.
The water was filed with burning
bales of cotton. Chief McGill mustered
his men around him and they played on
the fire with one stream which they bad
run on to the pier, hoping that for time
they would beat back the flames. The
fire surrounded the hose and 1t melted in
2 short time. When this gave ont Chief
McGill called to the men about HIM and
sald:
Boys, the only thing for Us 70 DO is 70
risk swimming"
Just as he vas about to Jump
into the water one OF the men spied tug
boat ID. NJ. Cox. she was brought to the
dock and Chief McGill and the men were
taken on board without anyone being
hurt. The men were no sooner on board
of the tug than word was brought to
them that Henry Wyatt, one of the fire
meE Of the steamer Lone Star,
was locked up in the office,
which was short distance from
the entrance On the water side Of the
pie. lie was crying loudly for help.
fireman passed him an ak, and he tried to
cut his way out. He was almost over
come, and his efforts were very weak
The window YVES pried open, and he was
dragged cut in an insensible condition.
On the dock were 800 bales OF cotton and
on the eight bargeS $500 bales, making il
all about 1000 bales.